Daily Archives: July 1, 2015

NORMAN, OK — An Oklahoma City man has been ordered to trial in connection with 40 counts of sexual abuse involving three children.

Special Judge Steve Stice ruled Tuesday that evidence presented in a preliminary hearing was sufficient to hold Daniel Ryan Chadwell, 31, for trial. Chadwell is accused of sexually abusing a now 12-year-old girl, a now 14-year-old girl and a now 8-year-old boy over a period of years, beginning in 2009.

Most of the charges involve the 12-year-old girl, who testified Chadwell began abusing her when she was 5 or 6 and that the abuse continued for years at two Cleveland County residences.

According to a court affidavit, the girl said Chadwell slapped her and threatened to hurt her or her mother if she reported the abuse. A friend of the girl, now 14, also testified to abuse she said occurred when she spent the night with her friend. Some counts allege Chadwell inappropriately touched the now 8-year-old boy.

Chadwell originally was charged with 32 counts of child sexual abuse. Stice approved the filing of eight more counts following testimony in the preliminary hearing that concluded Tuesday.

Chadwell is being held in the Cleveland County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Pittsburgh, PA – An American Airlines manager was arrested Friday after allegedly trying to meet a 10-year-old girl and her mother for sex during a business trip in Pittsburgh.

What Ray Howland apparently didn’t know is that he was being set up in a sting operation. The 55-year-old Texan had posted an ad online “looking for a family or a couple of girls” to have sex with on his business trip, according to a statement released by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Monday.

In emails and text messages, Howland explained in detail the explicit sexual acts he wanted to engage in with both the girl and her mom, officials allege.

Instead, when he showed up in Moon Township in Pennsylvania on Friday, he met up with undercover agents. He was collared and charged with attempted rape of a child, unlawful contact with a minor and attempt to commit indecent assault, among others.

Howland’s first hearing is set for July 7, and his bail was set at $150,000 at Allegheny County Jail. Officials are still trying to determine whether he had contact with any other, real victims.

Howland serves as a senior manager with American Airlines, WPXI reported.

A spokesperson at the airline released the following statement Monday morning, according to WPXI:

“American Airlines holds its employees to the highest level of ethical standards. Employees who violate these standards are subject to disciplinary action, which may include immediate termination. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement and do not intend to comment on this case publicly out of respect for all involved.”

Kane congratulated officers from the Moon Township Police Department, hailing a “778 percent increase” in the arrests of child sex predators in Pennsylvania since 2012.

Today, we announced the arrest of a Texas man who traveled to Pittsburgh for sex with a “10-year-old girl.” Mr. Howland…

Posted by Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General on Monday, June 29, 2015

COPPERAS COVE, TX — The Copperas Cove Police Department said it arrested a local teacher on charges of sexual assault of a child and improper student/teacher relationship.

A news release said Shawn Westley Noordam, 29, of Copperas Cove, a teacher at S.C. Lee Jr. High School, was arrested and released Friday on $50,000 bond.

“The allegation was investigated and on (Thursday), a criminal complaint was filed, charging Noordam with sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between educator and student,” the news release said. “Noordam was taken into custody without incident in the 1100 block of Rhonda Lee Street on (Friday).

He was later arraigned by Justice of the Peace Bill Price.”

Copperas Cove police said Noordam’s alleged victim is a 15-year-old female student at S.C. Lee Jr. High School. The case was reported to Cove police May 31.

Copperas Cove Independent School District officials said Noordam was placed on administrative leave when the allegations surfaced.

District spokeswoman Wendy Sledd said Friday that Noordam was no longer employed by the district and officials continue to cooperate with the police investigation.